The bonds that bind us
by AmbrLupin
Summary: Three years ago they defeated Nakago, three years ago, four warriors were reborn, three years ago they promised to never be apart again. Three years ago, one of their members was taken. Now the suzaku seven are about to learn not everything is as it seems
1. prologue:teaser: In the dark

1The bonds that bind us

Prologue: Teaser: In the dark

By: AmbrLupin

Rating: Pg-13. Might be an R later though.

Summary: Three years ago they defeated Nakago, three years ago, four warriors were reborn, three years ago they made a promise to never ever be apart again. Three years ago, one of their member was taken. Now...He's back and the suzaku seven can once again call themselves a family. Or can they? (AU. Set in the book.)

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HEY THERE! Welcome to the teaser of The bond that bind us, my newest plot bunny for the ever wonderful Fushigi Yuugi! YAYAYAYAYAY! Whatcha reading this for! GO READ AND REVIEW! I COMMAND THEE! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Disclaimer: I can draw, but no where near as good as Watase sensei. Nuff said.

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How long has it been now? A year? Two maybe...? However long it has been, I can still remember the day I was taken like it was yesterday. Koji fought so hard to get to me...I can sometimes still see his face in my mind as he hacked through the enemies separating us, hear him screaming my name...After that, all I can recall is black.

Black as the cell I reside in, black as the darkness that has slowly begun to override all else, black as his eyes as they raked over me, black as the venom that dripped from his words as he ordered them to drug me.

Again...and again...

How many times? How many times has that needle pierced my skin? How many times have I died, only to come back to myself just in time for yet another dose? How many times have I tried to think back on before my imprisonment, only to come up empty? How many times has that cell door-

Slowly, ever so slowly, the heavy metal door opens, pain searing through my eyes as a flood of light strikes them. I stir in the chains, the metal clicking over my head. I have hung here, by my arms, ever since they had first drugged me.

I no longer feel the pain of the dislocated shoulders, or the broken bones...haven't for a while now. Im not too sure if that's because Im so far gone, or because I just don't care about myself anymore. Doesn't matter, does it?

I used to fight back, I used to injure those who dared step in my cell; no one was able to get within five feet of me. No longer. Now I welcome their company, for I know they have it with them. The drug. I crave for it so much it is barely unbearable to live without it. Even if it only a temporary escape; its still an escape I can take.

My head rises slightly, my tired and watering eyes watch as a hand reached up to hold my arm steady as another brings the needle closer. Its nothing special really, just an ordinary needle filled with an amber-colored liquid.

But it does so much...It does soooo much.

The only pain I seem to be able to feel is that little prick as the needle sinks into my flesh and the drug flows into my blood. Fire flickers through me, head to toe, lightning crashed behind my eyes and a haze begins to overtake my sight. As I drift away, however, I once again see Koji's face...Hear him scream.

"GENROU!"

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whistlewhistle hmmm...good chappy. Very angsty.

You see that little bar down at the bottom left that says 'Submit review'? Click it and leave me a message- liked it, hated it, don't really care, just leave one! THANX, and see ya next time!

**In chapter two: Questions are asked...**

_The warrior scratched the cat's head softly, "We'll be all right." He seemed to be assuring himself, as well as the other as tears streamed down his face. "W-We'll be fine...right...?"_

**Comfort is given...**

_The silent seishi drew the elder into his arms, comforting him as he sobbed. "Yes, Chichiri. Yes, It'll be all right. You'll see."_

**Promises are made...**

_"If it's the last thing I do, Gen. I swear I'll avenge you." Koji swore, reaching behind him to grab the well worn handle of a folded, covered fan that lay against his back. "I swear it on this tessen. I WILL avenge your death!" _

**And some of the past is revealed...**

_At that moment I saw red, pure, crimson red. "You monster." I hissed. _

**In chapter one: to avenge you. **


	2. To avenge you

The bonds that bind us

Chapter One: To avenge you

By: AmbrLupin

Rating: Pg-13. Might be an R later though.

Summary: Three years ago they defeated Nakago, three years ago, four warriors were reborn,three years ago they made a promise to never ever be apart again. Three years ago, one of their member was taken. Now...He's back and the suzaku seven can once again call themselves a family. Or can they? (AU. Set in the book.)

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Hahahaha, sorry for the wait, you guys. I lost sniff most of the written chapters for this so I have to either rewrite them or find them. I found some, but not all. Sorry!

Disclaimer: I can draw, but no where near as good as Watase sensei. Nuff said.

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"I didn't expect to find you out here."

The soft voice broke the quiet of the night, cut through the young man's concentration as he sat upon a flat rock overlooking the still water of the pond. His tied back hair was a light blue in color, a soft hue not unlike that of the morning sky, and a single brown eye stared down at the water with a look of pain.

"Mitsukake." Chichiri greeted, his hand coming up as he turned, fixing his mask back over his face. "I believe that would be my line, no da."

The tall warrior didn't say anything as he sat next to the other, the gentle wind ruffling his black bangs. Chichiri looked at him in surprise for a moment, "Mitsuk-"

"You don't need to hide from me, Chichiri." He said suddenly, cutting the elder off. "It has been three years yet I can still see the pain in your soul. You miss him deeply."

The monk sighed, "Forgive me, my friend. I do not mean to hide from you. It is a reaction I seem to unable to break."

"You have lived so long, hiding behind your mask you aren't able to distinguish what is you and what isnt. It frightens you." None of that was a question.

"That's not-"

"I understand your feelings, believe me I do. Shouka was not only my lover; she was the greatest friend I ever had. She would not want me to mourn her like this no more than Tasuki would wish it of you." He laid a hand on the other's man's shoulder, "Three years and I have never seen you cry for him. It is all right to mourn Chichiri, but do not do it alone."

The monk let something fall to the rock in-between them as a single chocolate brown eye rose to meet the healer's gaze, pain and anguish in their depths. Chichiri was needless to say surprised as the answer to his unspoken question shone back at him in soft blue eyes.

"You..."

Mitsukake bowed his head, "You are not the only one who mourns for him. Everyday I look for that fiery red hair, listen for that explicit vocabulary, only to realize, I wont ever hear it again." Tama appeared out of nowhere, slinking into Chichiri's lap as his owner spoke.

The warrior scratched the cat's head softly, "We'll be all right." He seemed to be assuring himself, as well as the other as tears streamed down his face. "W-We'll be fine...right...?"

The silent seishi drew the elder into his arms, comforting him as he sobbed. "Yes, Chichiri. Yes, It'll be all right. You'll see."

They stayed like that all night, comforting each other as they looked out over the pond, remembering...and mourning.

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"Are you sure about this, Kouji?"

The leader of the Mt. Reikaku bandits turned at the sound of his name, his dark blue fonted hair falling over his narrowed eyes. "Are you _questioning_ me!"

The bandit backed up quickly, "No, no...Of course not, sir! I...I'll just...go help the others...!"

Kouji watched him run off before he turned to look back across the river, to where he knew his hideout was. Nakago. The others might have been blind, but he, himself saw it clearly. Nakago was alive, and he was the one who had taken Genrou. He was sure of it.

"If it's the lat thing I do, Gen. I swear i'll avenge you." He swore, reaching behind him to grip the well-worn handle of a folded, covered fan that lay against his back. "I swear it on this tessen. I WILL avenge your death!"

His hand brushed against the cloth it was wrapped in and he had to bite his lip. He knew the fabric, had run it through his hands over and over for hours on end. It was a strip of blood stained green cloth, torn from the shirt Genrou had been wearing that day. Bitter tears welled up in his eyes and he hurriedly wiped them away with his sleeve.

However, that did nothing for the memory.

_I stopped, a familiar feeling of deja vu washing over me as the sunlight hit and glew on golden hair and polished armor. I knew that face, those souless eyes. I knew them, im sure of it; but I couldn't remember where. _

_He held up a bundle of cloth and threw it at me from atop the ledge. It unfurled as it fell, emerald green tunic slashed, torn, and bloodied, undershirt and pants dyed nearly red. I bent down to pick up the tunic, stunned as the not so old blood rubbed off on my fingers. _

_'This..This is Genrou's...' My mind told me, panic overlaying my thoughts. 'Then...that's...that's...'_

_"Why...!" I was crying and I didn't even know it. Hot tears of anger slid down my face, "Why would you come here and lie!" I screamed as I clutched the material to my chest. _

_"Lie?" He murmurred, pulling something from his back and throwing it so that it stuck in the dirt at my feet. "I do not lie."_

_"Oh...Suzaku...no.."_

_The tessen glinted and sparkled as I stared at it dumbly, disbelief in my eyes. I knew, just as everyone else there knew, the only way to get that weapon away from Genrou...was to pry it from his cold, dead fingers._

_At that moment I saw red, pure, crimson red. "You monster." I hissed. _

_Kill him. End it. Genrou would have wanted you too. Its not hard. Do it. DO IT!_

Kouji's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Genrou, buddy...It took me three long years to get this far...But.." His hand slipped from the tessen to the knife on his belt. "But..Im going to do it."

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Yeah, that italics part is a flashback. -grin- as if you couldn't tell. Anywhoo, go and review -push- the sooner you do, the sooner I update!

**Sorry, no little preview thing. The next chapter is one I think I have to rewrite. **


	3. Rescue

The bonds that bind us

Chapter Two: Rescue

By: AmbrLupin

Rating: Pg-13. Might be an R later though.

Summary: Three years ago they defeated Nakago, three years ago, four warriors were reborn, three years ago they made a promise to never ever be apart again. Three years ago, one of their member was taken. Now...He's back and the suzaku seven can once again call themselves a family. Or can they? (AU. Set in the book.)

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Oh my God, you guys, I am sorry. I have had a bad case of writers block, and this story and all my other ones just don't want to work with me. And Im a senior in High School now and I have to pass that and my online classes. So please, bear with me.

Disclaimer: I can draw, but no where near as good as Watase sensei. Nuff said.

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_Pain._

_Light._

_Hands._

_No._

_Don't._

_Need._

_Drug._

_Falling._

_Fire._

_Lightning._

_Help._

_**KOJI!**_

I open my eyes, head splitting apart at the seams. After a moment's hesitation, I can somewhat make out whats going on around me. I'm... moving... I can feel it, the smooth gait of a galloping horse. But why? How...? WHO?

Its shaded where I am, a blanket thrown above and over my head, arms locked around me, not crushing, per se, but forceful all the same. Who is it? W-who am I? Who am I that anyone would go to any great length to save me? What was going on?!

I shift slightly in my darkened prison, and pain, great, screaming, _unbearable_ pain runs up both my arms, across my chest, and down my spine, making me shake as I bite my lip, blood filling my mouth.

It hurt- It hurt so much!

A small whimper slid from my lips and the arms around me tighten even more. The blanket starts to peel away and I am able to finally see the face of my rescuer. But... It cannot be. That's impossible. My brain tried to catch up with me, and fails. How can...it be...

"K-Koji..." I rasp, voice weak and barely intelligible from those years of misuse. My friend's eyes are swollen and red, tears dripping down his face as he realizes Im awake. I can see the shock and pain dance through those eyes.

The sun shines, flicking behind dense trees as he gives me a feeble smile, hardly up to its usual standard. Then again, I am not up to my usual standard, so who is to complain? "H-Hey, Genrou...I gotcha, its going to be...all right now."

He sure sounds convincing, the way his voice trembles and nearly fades away. Three years ago I would have smacked him over the head with my tessen, telling him to stop crying and be a man. Be a bandit for Suzaku's sake! But now...

I manage to twist my cracked, aching, bruised lips into a ghost of the famous bandit smirk, the only gift I can give. To show him I'm okay. "I k-know, Koji...I know." That was all I could manage, but I can tell by the new tears flooding Koji's eyes - it was enough.

"Gods, Gen, I-"

The sun topped the trees then, shining fully down upon us, striking at my eyes with the force of my tessen. I scream as my sight explodes, white and red, red, white and...black.

"GENROU!"

That was the last thing I heard as I slid back into unconsciousness, and I couldn't help myself from thinking...Man, doesn't this seem familiar?

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_"Why don't you just die? Why can't I kill you?" _

_"You caused so much trouble." _

_"Its your fault they're dead. You do realize this?"_

_"Look, look at his face! You would think we slapped him!"_

_"I don't care what it is you think you saved...Little boy, you saved nothing."_

_"That's right. All you did was destroy." _

_"Your friends? Your little star buddies?" _

_"Dead and gone."_

_"Swept away by the very power you possess. Do you still want it now?"_

_"Well do you?" _

_"I think we asked you a question. Little boy."_

_"I don't think he can talk anymore!" _

_"Aww, did we hurt your little feelings?" _

_"Yes, I think so."_

_"Too bad. You know its true just as we do."_

_"The truth, you keep locked up inside."_

_"The truth you cannot deny." _

_"You killed them." _

_"You killed them." _

_"Tasuki."_

_"Tasuki." _

_"You."_

_"Killed."_

_"Them." _

_"Hearts fluttering, hands reaching out for your help..."_

_"And what did you do? You laughed in their faces, kicked at their hands..."_

_"Broken bones and streaming blood red rivers."_

_"Drenched to the knee." _

_"Blood that will never wash off. Brother blood. Kin."_

_"Ah yes, the infamous seven. And the miko, musn't forget her." _

_"Oh, I apologize." _

_"He stiffened. Oh what fun this is!" _

_"Does your treatment of the miko bother you? Do you remember what you did?"_

_"Do you, little boy? Do you remember your cruel hands?"_

_"Ripping her to shreds in front of them."_

_"You watched them suffer, and you enjoyed it." _

_"...Didn't you?" _

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A soft sound drew Mitsukake from his sleep, making him blink and look up, wondering briefly, not only where he was, but what it was that had woken him. One thing he did know, however, was that he was holding someone in his arms. Looking down, he saw Chichiri, fast asleep, mask-less, dried tear stains traveling down his face.

"That's right..." He murmurred, absently reaching over to scratch the cat's head where he lay in the monk's arms. Tama raised his head and softly meowed a greeting, licking the side of Chichiri's face gently.

"M-Mitsukake?" There was Nuriko, kneeling by them, a black sash thrown over the shoulder of an intricate red tunic, and belted at the waist. "I'm sorry, but...Hotohori asked me to find you two. The...The memorial for Tasuki is about to start."

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Okay, I know that dialogue is...strange to say the least. But I will see if anything comes from it. In the meantime, you go review! I updated, very late...But I did do it. So now its your turn. -grin- love ya!


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